FLORENCE, SC – Despite a 20-point performance from senior forward Kiana Lee, Francis Marion University dropped a last-second 71-69 decision to Coker University, Friday night (Nov. 8) in the season-opening Conference Carolinas/South Atlantic Conference Challenge.
 
The Patriots will play host to Wingate University at 3 p.m. on Saturday to conclude the two-day event.  The Bulldogs fell to UNC Pembroke 60-56 in Friday's opening contest.
 
Lee's point total was one shy of her career high.  She also grabbed eight rebounds and handed out a team-high five assists.  Freshman point guard Kiara Croskey registered 14 points, nine rebounds, and four assists in her collegiate debut, while senior guard Kennedi Simmons scored 13 points in her first game as a Patriot.  Sophomore 6-0 center Trinity Delaney chipped in seven points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
 
Senior guard Mya Wasswa led Coker (1-0) with 21 points.
 
The Patriots took an early 11-6 advantage, but the Cobras responded with five straight points to tie the game and would lead 18-16 at the end of the first quarter.
 
The two teams were never separated by more than one possession over the entirety of the second period.  A stick-back hoop by Kamari Thompson just before the halftime horn, gave Coker a narrow 32-31 lead heading into the locker room.
 
Coker would lead by as many as eight points on four occasions in the third quarter and held a 53-48 lead heading to the fourth period.
 
A 6-0 run by FMU put the Patriots back on top 54-53 with 7:33 remaining.  Back-to-back three-pointers by Simmons and junior forward Trinity Adams propelled Francis Marion to a 60-67 lead with 5:12 left on the clock.  The Cobras answered with a 5-0 spurt to regain the lead prior to the final media timeout.
 
A free throw by Adams with 51 seconds left gave the Patriots a 69-68 advantage.  Shawntenna Tillman scored on a driving lay-up with 15 ticks left to put Coker up 70-69, and following two FMU misses, Tillman made 1-of-2 free throws with 3.8 seconds left to make the margin 71-69.
 
Following a timeout, the Patriots did get off a potential game-winning three-point attempt, but it was no good as the final horn sounded.
 
Francis Marion shot 44.1 percent from the floor and was 15-of-21 at the foul line, while Coker connected on 38.6 percent of its field goal attempts and was 13-of-21 at the stripe.

The loss snapped an 18-game home court winning streak for FMU.